How to clean up your digital footprint - and why it matters more than you think

When someone Googles you, what will they find? Don't let embarrassing old social media posts define your online presence. Learn how to control the narrative.

Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.

Do you know who's looking at your old Tumblr? Your abandoned Flickr account? Or your posts from five years ago, casually sitting on your public X profile?

They could stay buried in the graveyard of forgotten accounts. Or, they could make you vulnerable the next time someone decides to do a deep dive on you and your online history.

By now, most adults are likely used to living some portion of their lives online. 

Also: Did your logins just get leaked? How to check online for free (and what to do next)

In fact, there are about 5.7 billion social media users worldwide, and the average user ...